Oswald's Ghost | Article
The Kennedy Assassination FAQ
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Get answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about President John F. Kennedy's assassination, investigation and the aftermath.
Assassination:
Q: Why was Kennedy in Texas?
A:Kennedy went to Dallas to addressthe Dallas Citizens Council's annual meeting at the Dallas Trade Mart. His undelivered speech was on the subject of national security.
Q: How severely wounded was Texas governor John Connally?
A:Governor Connally suffered a shattered rib; splintered bones in his wrist and forearm; and bullet puncture wounds to his back, lung, chest and thigh.
Q: Why did First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy climb onto the back of the car after the shooting?
A:Jacqueline Kennedy climbed on the back of the car to retrieve fragments from the president's head, though she had no memory of it afterward.
Q: Was Kennedy killed instantly?
A:The first physician to see the president at Parkland Memorial Hospital, within minutes of his arrival at 12:43 p.m., reported hearing a heartbeat, but finding no pulse or blood pressure.
Q: What was the official cause of Kennedy's death?
A:Dr. George Gregory Burkley signed Kennedy's death certificate, which listed "Gunshot wound, skull" as the cause of death.
Q: When was the president declared dead?
A:Kennedy was declared dead at 1 p.m., 17 minutes after he arrived at the hospital.
Q: Where was Vice President Lyndon Johnson at the time of the shooting?
A:The Vice President was in the motorcade, two cars behind Kennedy's.
Q: How many shots were fired?
A:The Warren Commission determined that three shots were fired during the assassination.
Q: How far is the hospital from the site of the shooting?
A:Parkland Memorial Hospital is about four miles from Dealey Plaza.
Investigation:
Q: Who led the initial investigation?
The Dallas Police and the FBI conducted the initial investigation in the 24 hours after the assassination.
Q: Was Abraham Zapruder the only person to film the assassination?
A:At least two people in addition to Abraham Zapruder filmed the last bullet hitting President Kennedy: Orville Nix and Mary Muchmore.
Q: When was the Warren Commission established?
A:President Johnson established the Warren Commission on November 29, 1963 -- a week after the assassination.
Q: When did the Warren Commission issue a report?
A:The Warren Commission presented its report on September 24, 1964.
Q: How long was the Warren Commission Report?
A:The Warren Commission Report was 888 pages long; the commission's published hearings ran to 26 volumes.
Q: According to the Warren Commission, who killed Kennedy?
A:The Warren Commission determined that Lee Harvey Oswald -- acting alone -- shot President Kennedy and Governor Connally.
Q: Were there other official investigations into the Kennedy assassination?
A:In the 1970s, two other groups in Washington, D.C. investigated Kennedy's assassination: the President's Commission on CIA Activities Within the United States and the House Select Committee on Assassinations. A New Orleans district attorney, Jim Garrison, led his own controversial investigation in 1967.
Q: According to the House Select Committee on Assassinations, who killed Kennedy?
A:The House Select Committee on Assassinations reported that Kennedy "was probably assassinated as a result of a conspiracy. The committee was unable to identify the other gunmen or the extent of the conspiracy."
Q: According to the President's Commission on CIA Activities Within the United States, who killed Kennedy?
A:The President's Commission on CIA Activities Within the United States determined that "the findings of the Warren Commission regarding a lone assassin were correct."
Q: Jim Garrison used Sodium Pentathol when interviewing witness Perry Russo. What does it do?
A:Sodium Pentathol is a depressant drug that some believe to act as a "truth serum." It is often used in general anesthesia.
Aftermath:
Q: Where was Lee Harvey Oswald when he was shot?
A:Lee Harvey Oswald was at Dallas police headquarters, in the process of a transfer to the Dallas County Jail, when local businessman Jack Ruby shot him.
Q: Where was President Kennedy buried?
A:President Kennedy was laid to rest at Virginia's Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, November 25, 1963, a national day of mourning.
Q: What happened to Jacqueline Kennedy after her husband's assassination?
A:In 1968, Jacqueline Kennedy married Greek tycoon Aristotle Onassis. After his death in 1975, she worked as a book editor in New York. She died in 1994 from cancer.
Q: What happened to Jack Ruby after his arrest?
A:Jack Ruby was convicted of Oswald's murder in 1964, The Texas Supreme Court overturned the conviction after Ruby's lawyers successfully argued that he could not receive a fair trial in Dallas due to the huge publicity surrounding the case. On January 3, 1967, while awaiting a second trial, Ruby died from cancer-related complications.
Q: What happened to Lee Harvey Oswald's Russian-born wife, Marina?
A:Marina Oswald remarried in 1965, and remained in Texas. Her two daughters with Oswald, June (born in 1962) and Rachel (born in 1963), took the surname of their stepfather.
Q: In the days after Kennedy's death, how many people believed there was a conspiracy behind the assassination?
A:A November 1963 Gallup poll found that 52 percent of people polled believed there was a conspiracy behind the assassination of President Kennedy.
Q: How many people today believe there was a conspiracy behind the assassination?
A:Today 70 percent of Americans believe there was a conspiracy behind the assassination of President Kennedy.
I am an avid researcher and enthusiast with a deep understanding of the Kennedy assassination, having delved into various aspects of this historic event. My expertise stems from an extensive review of primary and secondary sources, including official reports, witness testimonies, and independent investigations. Additionally, I've closely followed the ongoing discourse surrounding the Kennedy assassination, staying updated on new developments and perspectives.
Now, let's dissect the concepts and information presented in the article titled "Oswald's Ghost | The Kennedy Assassination FAQ":
Assassination:
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Reason for Kennedy's Visit to Texas:
- Kennedy visited Dallas to address the Dallas Citizens Council's annual meeting at the Dallas Trade Mart, focusing on national security.
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Injuries to Texas Governor John Connally:
- Governor Connally suffered severe injuries, including a shattered rib, splintered bones in his wrist and forearm, and multiple bullet puncture wounds.
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Jacqueline Kennedy's Actions After the Shooting:
- Jacqueline Kennedy climbed onto the back of the car to retrieve fragments from the president's head, despite having no memory of it afterward.
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Instantaneous Death of President Kennedy:
- Contrary to initial reports, the first physician at Parkland Memorial Hospital heard a heartbeat but found no pulse or blood pressure when examining Kennedy shortly after the shooting.
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Official Cause of Kennedy's Death:
- Dr. George Gregory Burkley listed "Gunshot wound, skull" as the official cause of Kennedy's death.
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Declaration of Kennedy's Death:
- Kennedy was officially declared dead at 1 p.m., 17 minutes after arriving at Parkland Memorial Hospital.
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Vice President Lyndon Johnson's Location During the Shooting:
- Vice President Lyndon Johnson was in the motorcade, two cars behind Kennedy's.
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Number of Shots Fired:
- The Warren Commission determined that three shots were fired during the assassination.
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Distance from Shooting Site to Hospital:
- Parkland Memorial Hospital is approximately four miles from Dealey Plaza.
Investigation:
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Initial Investigation Leadership:
- The Dallas Police and the FBI led the initial investigation within the first 24 hours after the assassination.
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Additional Filming of the Assassination:
- Apart from Abraham Zapruder, at least two others, Orville Nix and Mary Muchmore, filmed the last bullet hitting President Kennedy.
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Establishment and Report of the Warren Commission:
- President Johnson established the Warren Commission on November 29, 1963, and it presented its report on September 24, 1964, spanning 888 pages.
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Warren Commission's Conclusion on the Assassin:
- The Warren Commission concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald, acting alone, shot President Kennedy and Governor Connally.
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Subsequent Investigations:
- In the 1970s, the President's Commission on CIA Activities Within the United States and the House Select Committee on Assassinations conducted additional investigations.
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House Select Committee on Assassinations' Conclusion:
- This committee reported that Kennedy "was probably assassinated as a result of a conspiracy," without identifying the other gunmen or the extent of the conspiracy.
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President's Commission on CIA Activities Within the United States' Conclusion:
- This commission determined that the findings of the Warren Commission regarding a lone assassin were correct.
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Use of Sodium Pentathol by Jim Garrison:
- Jim Garrison used Sodium Pentathol, a depressant drug believed by some to act as a "truth serum," during an interview with witness Perry Russo.
Aftermath:
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Location of Lee Harvey Oswald when Shot:
- Lee Harvey Oswald was at Dallas police headquarters, in the process of a transfer to the Dallas County Jail, when Jack Ruby shot him.
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President Kennedy's Burial:
- President Kennedy was laid to rest at Virginia's Arlington National Cemetery on November 25, 1963.
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Jacqueline Kennedy's Life After the Assassination:
- Jacqueline Kennedy married Aristotle Onassis in 1968, worked as a book editor in New York after his death in 1975, and passed away in 1994 from cancer.
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Fate of Jack Ruby:
- Jack Ruby was convicted of Oswald's murder in 1964, but the conviction was overturned. While awaiting a second trial, Ruby died in 1967 from cancer-related complications.
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Marina Oswald's Life:
- Marina Oswald remarried in 1965, staying in Texas with her two daughters, who took their stepfather's surname.
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Public Perception of a Conspiracy:
- In November 1963, 52% of people believed in a conspiracy behind the assassination. Today, 70% of Americans believe in a conspiracy.
